Accumulation Conveyor

ABSTRACT

A line accumulation conveyor includes a secondary belt rotatably mounted to a frame so as to define upper and lower surfaces caused to move in opposite directions by rotation of the secondary belt. The conveyor further includes a product conveying belt that is rotatably engaged with the secondary belt at a first position on the first surface and at a second position on the second surface therebetween in an endless manner. The product conveying belt has an upper portion that extends from the first surface in an upper plane between the first position and a looping portion of the product conveying belt and a lower portion that extends from the second surface in a lower plane between the looping portion and the second position. The upper portion of the product conveying belt defines a product accumulation path that can be elongate or shorten by rotating the secondary belt.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 61/719,553,filed Oct. 29, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated by referenceherein.

FIELD

The present disclosure generally relates to conveying system. Morespecifically, the present disclosure concerns a single line accumulator.

BACKGROUND

It is well-known in the art of line production to provide anaccumulation conveyor between a product conveyor and a productprocessing station. Such an accumulation conveyor allows to move theproducts along an expandable travel path whose length is adjusted withthe fluctuation in product processing production.

Some accumulation conveyors include one or more adjacent lines, eachhaving parallel infeed and discharge belt sides. The travel path isadjusted by varying the length of each line by moving a main carriagetherealong. A secondary carriage is provided, usually behind the maincarriage in a back to back configuration, to close the loop of thetransport belt. Both carriages are movable in unison via a secondarybelt.

A first drawback of such line accumulation conveyors is that theyrequire frequent tension adjustment of their secondary belt. Thetensioning is either performed by a maintenance worker or automaticallyby a tensioning mechanism provided thereon.

Another drawback of conventional line accumulation conveyors is thatthey require a relatively large amount of space that is not used for theaccumulation function.

SUMMARY

In illustrative embodiments, the drawback of loosening of the secondarybelt between the main and secondary end carriages in a line accumulationconveyor is solved by relatively positioning both end carriages betweenthe main belt so that the main belt exerts pressure in oppositedirections on respective end carriages. This can be achieved bypositioning the secondary end carriage in a plane parallel to the planedefined by the main carriage thereunder.

More specifically, in accordance to illustrated embodiments there isprovided a line accumulation conveyor comprising a product moving beltrotatably mounted between two end carriages that are so integrated intoa secondary belt that the product moving belt exerts a pressure inopposite direction on the two end carriages; the product moving belthaving a portion defining a product accumulation path that is variableby moving the secondary belt.

According to other embodiments, there is provided a line accumulationconveyor comprising:

a frame;

a secondary belt rotatably mounted to the frame so as to define upperand lower surfaces that are caused to move in opposite directions by arotation of the secondary belt; and

a product conveying belt rotatably engaged with the secondary belt at afirst position on the first surface and at a second position on thesecond surface therebetween in an endless manner; the product conveyingbelt having an upper portion that extends from the first surface in anupper plane between the first position and a looping portion of theproduct conveying belt and a lower portion that extends from the secondsurface in a lower plane between the looping portion and the secondposition; the upper portion of the product conveying belt defining aproduct accumulation path;

whereby, in operation, the product accumulation path is modified byrotating the secondary belt.

According to a more specific embodiment, there is provided a lineaccumulation conveyor comprising:

a frame;

a secondary belt rotatably mounted to the frame so as to define upperand lower surfaces that are caused to move in opposite directions by arotation of the secondary belt;

a product conveying belt rotatably engaged with the secondary belt byupper and lower carriages integrated respectively into the upper andlower surfaces of the secondary belt for rotation about respective axesperpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces in an endless manner; theproduct conveying belt being motorized by a drive mechanism; the productconveying belt having an upper portion that extends from the firstsurface in an upper plane between the upper carriage and a loopingportion of the product conveying belt and a lower portion that extendsfrom the second surface in a lower plane between the looping portion andthe lower carriages; the upper portion of the product conveying beltdefining a product accumulation path; and

a carriage-positioning mechanism that cooperates with the secondary beltto cause the secondary belt to rotate;

whereby, in operation, the product accumulation path is modified byrotating the secondary belt.

According to other embodiments, there is provided a line accumulationconveyor comprising a product moving belt rotatably mounted between twoend carriages that are so integrated into a secondary belt that theproduct moving belt exerts a pressure in opposite direction on the twoend carriages; the product moving belt having a portion defining aproduct accumulation path that is variable by moving the secondary belt.

Other objects, advantages and features of the single line accumulatorwill become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictivedescription of illustrative embodiments thereof, given by way of exampleonly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a single line accumulation conveyoraccording to an illustrative embodiment; the accumulation conveyor beingshown downstream from and coupled to another conveyor; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the accumulation conveyor from FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom perspective view of the accumulation conveyor fromFIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The use of the word “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term“comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one”, butit is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more”, “at least one”,and “one or more than one”. Similarly, the word “another” may mean atleast a second or more.

As used in this specification and claim(s), the words “comprising” (andany form of comprising, such as “comprise” and “comprises”), “having”(and any form of having, such as “have” and “has”), “including” (and anyform of including, such as “include” and “includes”) or “containing”(and any form of containing, such as “contain” and “contains”), areinclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, unrecitedelements or process steps.

The term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes an inherentvariation of error for the device or the method being employed todetermine the value.

An illustrative embodiment of an accumulation conveyor 10 is illustratedin FIGS. 1 to 3. The accumulation conveyor 10 is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3adjacent product transfer conveyors 12-12′.

The product transfer conveyors 12-12′ allow transferring products withinan assembly line (not shown) onto the accumulation conveyor 10 (seearrow 14) and therefrom (see arrow 16). The product transfer conveyors12-12′ includes respective first and second parallel chain belts 18 and20 that are endlessly mounted to respective drive mechanisms 22 (onlypartially shown) for rotation in opposite directions.

Each drive mechanism 22 includes gear assemblies 26 and 28 thatoperatively mount a respective one of the chain belts 18 and 20 to arespective table frame 24 in a conventional endless manner. Each drivemechanism 22 also includes a motor 30 operatively coupled to one of thegear assemblies 26 and 28 via a gearbox 31.

The accumulation conveyor 10 includes a table frame 32, a productconveying belt 34 endlessly mounted to top and bottom end carriages 36and 38, and a carriage-positioning mechanism 40 for causing the top andbottom carriages 36 and 38 to move in unison along the table frame 32.The belt 34 is coupled to one of the drive mechanisms 22 so as to bedriven thereby. In the drawings, some belt links have been omitted sothat some components of the conveyor underneath the belt be visible.

The product conveying belt 34 is received between the two end returncarriages 36-38 so that the belt 34 defines two parallel back and forthconveying tracks. The belt 34 is also supported and driven by the drivemechanisms 22 shared with the conveyor 12′.

Contrarily to accumulation conveyor from the prior art, the endcarriages 36 and 38 are not located within a same plane. As will bedescribed herein below in more detail, a first end carriage 36 isgenerally positioned within the conveying plane where products arereceived, and the other end carriage 38 is positioned in lower planeparallel the conveying plane so that they operate in opposite direction.

The end carriages being positioned in respective parallel top and bottomplanes, a first portion of the two parallel back and forth conveyingtracks defined by the belt 34 is positioned within a top plane shared bythe top portions of the belts 18 and 20, and a second folded portion ofthe two parallel back and forth conveying tracks is positioned within abottom plane under the top plane and parallel thereof.

The intersection between the first and second portions of the twoparallel back and forth conveying tracks of the accumulation conveyor 10defines a product transfer end of the conveyor 10. The length of thechain belt 34 between the end carriage 36 and the product transfer enddefines the product accumulation path.

The table frame 32 includes a plurality of easels 42 of similar heightthat support and operatively position the belt 34 via the drivemechanisms 22, end carriages 36 and 38, and carriage-positioningmechanism 40 relative to the product transfer conveyors 12-12′. As shownin the Figures, other frame elements are provided to assemble andposition the mechanisms 34 to 40 of the conveyor 10. These elements willnot be described herein in more detail for concision purposes.

Also, the expressions “table frame” and “frame” should be construed inthe specification and claims as including any assembly and/or supportelement provided for the relative and functional positioning of thefunctional components of the accumulation and product transfer conveyors10 and 12-12′.

Each components of the accumulation conveyor 10 will now be described inmore detail.

The product conveying belt 34 is rotatably engaged with the secondarybelt within the conveying plane via the top carriage 36 and at a secondposition on the lower plane via the bottom carriage 38 in an endlessmanner. The product conveying belt 34 is further engaged and motorizedby the drive mechanism 22 that creates back and forth looping portions74 of the belt 34 that allows the continuous movement of the belt 34between the top conveying and bottom planes.

The top end carriage 36 includes a rectangular plate 44 mounted to thetable 32 for longitudinal reciprocal translation movement thereon and aturntable 46 rotatably mounted to the plate 44. The rectangular plate 44is provided with a C-shaped groove 48 that receives link elements 50 ofthe belt 34 for sliding movement therein. In operation, rotation of theturntable 46 causes the belt 34 to move along the groove 48.

A C-shaped rail 52 is fixedly mounted to the plate 44 via mountingbrackets 54. The lateral straight portions 56 of the rail 52 are bothslidably received in side rails 58 secured to the table frame 32 on bothlateral sides thereof.

Since the bottom carriage 38 is similar to the top carriage, only thedifferences between both carriages 38 and 36 will be described hereinfor concision purposes.

Similarly to the top carriage 36, the bottom carriage 38 allowsreceiving the belt 34 so as to yield a second loop thereof.

Since the portion of the belt 34 under the table 32 is not intended toreceive products, the bottom carriage 38 does not include rails 52 and58.

It is to be noted that the rail 52 can be omitted also on the top plane,for example when the products moved by the conveyor 10 have a lowgravity center and/or depending on the conveying speed and/or size ofthe product relative to the width of the belt 18.

Also, according to another embodiment (not shown), the carriages 36 and38 are replaced by another belt engaging mechanism (not shown), such asa circular or semi-circular fixed guide rail or disk.

The carriage-positioning mechanism 40 includes link elements 60 thatinterconnects the top and bottom end carriages 36-38 so as to form asecondary endless belt 62 therewith.

The mechanism 40 further includes a drive mechanism 64, similar to thedrive mechanism 22, that mounts the belt 62 to the table 32 for endlessmovement thereon. More specifically, the drive mechanism 64 includes twolongitudinal end roll assemblies 66 and 68 that are rotatably mounted tothe table 32. Each roll assembly 66-68 includes a plurality of sprockets72 that are dimensioned for cooperation with the belt link elements 60so that the roll assemblies 66-68 and belt 62 rotate in unison.

One of the roll assemblies 66 and 68 is coupled to a motor 30 so as tobe motorized therefrom. The carriage positioning mechanism 40 furtherincludes belt-guiding elements 70 mounted to the table 32 adjacent bothlongitudinal ends thereof.

The secondary endless belt 62 defines upper and lower surfaces thattranslate in opposite directions when the belt is rotated, each surfaceincluding a respective end carriage 36 and 38 of the product conveyingbelt 34.

Since the product conveying belt 34 is engaged with thecarriage-positioning mechanism 40 at top and bottom carriage positions,and therefore within two different parallel planes, the productconveying belt 34 has an upper portion that extends from the firstsurface between the first top end carriage 36 and looping portions 74 ofthe product conveying belt 34 and a lower portion that extends from thesecond surface between the loop portion 74 and the bottom end carriage38.

In operation of the carriage-positioning mechanism 40, actuating themotor 30 that is coupled to the roll 66 for controlled rotation thereofin either directions causes the corresponding movement of the belt 62and the resulting translation of the carriages 36 and 38 in oppositelongitudinal directions.

Since the product conveying belt 34 is engaged with thecarriage-positioning mechanism 40, the mechanism 40 allows modifying thedistance of the top carriage 36 relative to the product transferconveyors 12-12′. This, in turn, allows modifying the productaccumulation path or length of the accumulation conveyor 10.

A person skilled in the art will now appreciate that the belt 62 of thecarriage-positioning mechanism 40 is free of the loss of tensiondrawback of line accumulation conveyors from the prior art by thepositioning of the end return carriages 36 and 38 on two differentplanes and that rotates in opposite directions.

Other elements of the accumulation and product transfer conveyors arenot shown in the drawings or discussed herein for concision purposes.Examples of such other elements include deflectors or rails mounted tothe table 32 to force products out of the product transfer conveyor 12on one side and back to the conveyors 12′ on the other side.

It is to be noted that many modifications could be made to the singleline accumulator described hereinabove and illustrated in the Figures.For example:

the product transfer and accumulation conveyors 12, 12′ and 10 can beprovided with their own independent drive mechanism for the respectivebelts 18-20 and 34;

the belt 62 of the carriage-positioning mechanism 40 is not limited tothe link type. A continuous belt, made for example from an elastomericmaterial, can also be used;

the belt guiding elements 70 are not limited in structure and positionto the illustrated embodiment;

the position and configuration of the rails 52 and 58 can be modifiedand be adapted to the geometry and size of the conveyed products, and sois the size of the belt 62.

It is to be understood that the single line accumulation conveyor is notlimited in its application to the details of construction and partsillustrated in the accompanying drawings and described hereinabove. Theline accumulation conveyor is capable of other embodiments and of beingpracticed in various ways. It is also to be understood that thephraseology or terminology used herein is for the purpose of descriptionand not limitation. Hence, although the line accumulation conveyor hasbeen described hereinabove by way of illustrative embodiments thereof,it can be modified, without departing from the spirit, scope and natureof the described embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A line accumulation conveyor comprising: a frame;a secondary belt rotatably mounted to the frame so as to define upperand lower surfaces that are caused to move in opposite directions by arotation of the secondary belt; and a product conveying belt rotatablyengaged with the secondary belt at a first position on the first surfaceand at a second position on the second surface therebetween in anendless manner; the product conveying belt having an upper portion thatextends from the first surface in an upper plane between the firstposition and a looping portion of the product conveying belt and a lowerportion that extends from the second surface in a lower plane betweenthe looping portion and the second position; the upper portion of theproduct conveying belt defining a product accumulation path; whereby, inoperation, the product accumulation path is modified by rotating thesecondary belt.
 2. The line accumulation conveyor of claim 1, whereinthe product conveying belt is rotatably engaged to the secondary belt byupper and lower carriages integrated respectively into the upper andlower surfaces of the secondary belt for rotation about respective axesperpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces.
 3. The line accumulationconveyor of claim 2, wherein at least one of the upper and lowercarriages includes a turntable that engages and guides the productconveying belt.
 4. The line accumulation conveyor of claim 1, whereinthe product conveying belt is motorized by a drive mechanism.
 5. Theline accumulation conveyor of claim 4, wherein the drive mechanism isshared by the product conveying belt and a product transfer conveyorthat is adjacent to the line accumulation conveyor and operativelycoupled to the product conveying belt.
 6. The line accumulation conveyorof claim 4, wherein the drive mechanism includes coupling elements thatcooperate with the product conveying belt and that causes the productconveying belt to loop between the upper and lower planes.
 7. The lineaccumulation conveyor of claim 1, further comprising acarriage-positioning mechanism that cooperates with the secondary beltto cause the secondary belt to rotate.
 8. The line accumulation conveyorof claim 7, wherein the carriage-positioning mechanism includes a drivemechanism including a motor and rolls coupled to the motor and thatcooperates with the secondary belt to cause the secondary belt torotate.
 9. The line accumulation conveyor of claim 1, wherein theproduct conveying belt is a chain belt.
 10. A line accumulation conveyorcomprising a product moving belt rotatably mounted between two endcarriages that are so integrated into a secondary belt that the productmoving belt exerts a pressure in opposite direction on the two endcarriages; the product moving belt having a portion defining a productaccumulation path that is variable by moving the secondary belt.
 11. Theline accumulation conveyor of claim 10, wherein one of the two endcarriages is positioned within a first plane that includes the productaccumulation path of the product moving belt and the other of the twoend carriages is positioned within a secondary plane that is under thefirst plane generally parallel thereto.
 12. A line accumulation conveyorcomprising: a frame; a secondary belt rotatably mounted to the frame soas to define upper and lower surfaces that are caused to move inopposite directions by a rotation of the secondary belt; a productconveying belt rotatably engaged with the secondary belt by upper andlower carriages integrated respectively into the upper and lowersurfaces of the secondary belt for rotation about respective axesperpendicular to the upper and lower surfaces in an endless manner; theproduct conveying belt being motorized by a drive mechanism; the productconveying belt having an upper portion that extends from the firstsurface in an upper plane between the upper carriage and a loopingportion of the product conveying belt and a lower portion that extendsfrom the second surface in a lower plane between the looping portion andthe lower carriages; the upper portion of the product conveying beltdefining a product accumulation path; and a carriage-positioningmechanism that cooperates with the secondary belt to cause the secondarybelt to rotate; whereby, in operation, the product accumulation path ismodified by rotating the secondary belt.